BOB (ROBERT) MUIR
Monday 19th December, of one of its long term educators, Bob (Robert) Muir.
Bob had been fighting cancer for a number of years and died at his home in Broome with his
family around him.
Bob joined the staff of Nulungu College, in July 1985 for a few months, after arriving in Broome
with his family on a around Australia trip. Bob’s first address in Broome was Bay 14, Roebuck
Bay Caravan Park. A few months in Broome became a few years, then decades. Bob left St
Marys College as a full time teacher at the end of 2003 but remained as a casual staff member
and continued his engagement with the students through his involvement in the homework centre
and as a tutor up till 2008.
It was Bob’s speciality to teach Science and Maths. He worked in less than ideal circumstances
for a number of years, as the “science lab” was then located in Room One, which still exists. This
“Science Lab” was a general purpose classroom, with the addition of one sink and two metal
cupboards to house a limited collection of scientific gear. Despite these circumstances, Bob
worked hard to create a scientific learning environment with fastidious lesson
preparation. Eventually a science room was built which Bob moved into with relish. This science
room, now the H&PE classroom, was recently replaced this year with two new science
laboratories. As an extension of Science a horticultural course was established by Bob with the
school’s first vegetable gardens and orchard established in the area where the new science
laboratories are now located.
In the community, Bob was a talented tennis player and was known as the “wizard of slice” which
enabled him to win many competitions including many at a master’s level. Bob was tennis captain
for the Broome Tennis Club. For many years, Bob organised tennis coaching and competitions
for Nulungu/SMC students and the town’s juniors.
He was at his happiest in either running on the beach or body surfing the waves and swimming at
Cable Beach.
It was Bob who started training the first Nulungu swimming squad to take on Derby District High
School in the Derby community pool. Broome had no public pool at this time so Bob and Lea
Grinter somehow organised for the students to train in the Continental Hotel pool and at the
Woodside Workers Camp pool in Herbert St.
Bob was instrumental with a town group that persuaded Woodside to leave the pool behind when
they relocated the Workers Camp to Karratha in the late 80’s and started the fundraising for a
public pool which later morphed into BRAC.
A humble and gentle man with no airs or graces, most people would have been unaware that Bob
had a Doctorate in Zoology, as he never used his honourific title of Doctor.
On Monday, during a store room clean up, a banner created by the students and staff to
celebrate the arrival of the millennium was discovered. On the banner Bob had penned the
following words, “To Try Is Everything”. This encapsulated Bob’s ethos!
Rest In Peace.
Our love and prayers go out to Caroline and the family; Jeremy, Danielle and Heidi and Bob’s
extended family and grandchildren.
Tribute by Michael Lake Dec 2011